"General reaction seems to be that the CRUgate emails are genuine, but with the caveat that there could be some less reliable stuff slipped in.

In the circumstances, here are some summaries of the CRUgate files. I'll update these as and when I can. The refs are the email number.

Phil Jones writes to University of Hull to try to stop sceptic Sonia Boehmer Christiansen using her Hull affiliation. Graham F Haughton of Hull University says its easier to push greenery there now SB-C has retired.(1256765544) Michael Mann discusses how to destroy a journal that has published sceptic papers.(1047388489) Tim Osborn discusses how data are truncated to stop an apparent cooling trend showing up in the results (0939154709). Analysis of impact here. Wow! Phil Jones describes the death of sceptic, John Daly, as "cheering news".(1075403821) Phil Jones encourages colleagues to delete information subject to FoI request.(1212063122)"

For those of us who have been following the Climategate story, this is a must read. Someone has went to a lot of trouble to translate those sometimes difficult to decipher e-mails into understandable English. Just an excellent job.

What is the assessment of people here about this scandal actually derailing Copenhagen?

I don't think this will have any visable effect on Copenhagen. This is a meeting of the scam artists themselves so the whole Climategate scandal is only something they might discuss over drinks and at dinner. It will simply be dismissed as nothing of importance. This will be the stance taken by the MSM as well. It will be the Blogasphere and, just maybe Fox News, the WSJ and a few other MSM renegades who will move it forward.

A suggestion for Fox News: Let Greta interview Steve McIntyre. That would be a hoot. Then go for Hannity and Beck. That will get the ball rolling. Then get some friendly CongressCritters to follow up.

The MSM will gloss over the critical issues with banalities. They will accuse the “Skeptics” of taking statements out of context.
I see similarities with the ACORN scandal and how it has been pushed aside.
If the Bush administration had less than 0.1 percent of this detrimental information come out, the liberal left and MSM would be fanning the flames for weeks on end. They would not quit till they thoroughly vilify and tarnish everyone’s reputation.

From the late lamented RightWingProfessor (now residing at Darwin Central):

Information wants to be free! This stuff looks really bad. There's a discussion of laundering money from various government programs and transferring it to Russia in ways that would evade Russian taxes. This was to avoid the horrendous Russian bureaucracy and be able to spend the money on research, but still...cash transfers, all of under $10,000, with US govt. funds? Unreal.

Can you get this to people higher up the food chain on FR, or elsewhere? This looks like the definition of money laundering on the part of Hadley CRU ("structuring" as I've heard of it, "smurfing" to others).

Cheers!

8
posted on 11/22/2009 7:40:50 AM PST
by grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)

While few U.S. politicians bother to question whether humans are changing the world's climate -- nearly three years ago the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded the evidence was unequivocal -- public debate persists. And the newly disclosed private exchanges among climate scientists at Britain's Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia reveal an intellectual circle that appears to feel very much under attack, and eager to punish its enemies.

In one e-mail, the center's director, Phil Jones, writes Pennsylvania State University's Michael E. Mann and questions whether the work of academics that question the link between human activities and global warming deserve to make it into the prestigious IPCC report, which represents the global consensus view on climate science.

When the Washington Post feels compelled to give even-somewhat even-handed treatment to the issue, exposing that there is no "consensus" among scientists, and covering pro-AGW researchers conspiring to shut out the views of skeptics from peer reviewed journals, saying they "will keep them out somehow -- even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is!". When that happens, the pro-AGW side has a problem.

9
posted on 11/22/2009 7:42:45 AM PST
by PapaBear3625
(Public healthcare looks like it will work as well as public housing did.)

“Climate change” and “health care” are different ends of the same stick: They’re both all-purpose pretexts for regulating every aspect of your life. Don’t take my word for it - listen to the Belgian nonentity upgraded on Friday to the Holy Roman Emperor de nos jours:

"Theyre both all-purpose pretexts for regulating every aspect of your life."

Exactly! If anyone had even the slightest doubt that the whole Global Warming / Climate Change drivel wasn't a complete fraud, these emails should stand as proof positive that we have been witness to the greatest swindle in human history. This body of evidence should bring a swift end to the careers of every one of these scam artists. Prosecutions where applicable need to begin immediately to shut down this idiocy once and for all. As always, follow the money.

From the late lamented RightWingProfessor (now residing at Darwin Central):

Information wants to be free! This stuff looks really bad. There's a discussion of laundering money from various government programs and transferring it to Russia in ways that would evade Russian taxes. This was to avoid the horrendous Russian bureaucracy and be able to spend the money on research, but still...cash transfers, all of under $10,000, with US govt. funds? Unreal.

Can you get this to people higher up the food chain on FR, or elsewhere? This looks like the definition of money laundering on the part of Hadley CRU ("structuring" as I've heard of it, "smurfing" to others).

Cheers!

I'm not sure what to do with these insights from RightWingProfessor other than to ping Jim Robinson, some known attorneys on the forum and a few others.

IIRC, transferring money in increments of under $10,000 in order to avoid reporting it to the authorities is itself a big no-no (it sets off red flags as a money-laundering technique).

Here the explicitly mention doing so to AVOID taxes.

Conspiracy to commit tax fraud? Wire fraud? I dunno, I'm a layman. That's why I want a real lawyer to look at it.

Here is the text, and the website I got it from.

: Return to the index page | Later Emails From: "Tatiana M. Dedkova" To: K.Briffa@xxxxxxxxx.xxx Subject: schijatov Date: Thu, 7 Mar 96 09:41:07 +0500 Dear Keith, March 6, 1996 I and Eugene received your E-mail of 04.03.1996. This day I talked over the telephone with Eugene and he asked me to send an answer from both of us. Thank you for the information concerning proposals to the INCO/COPERNICUS. We agree with your strategy used and we hope that this proposal will not be rejected. The results of INTAS-RFBR proposal will be known at the beginning of May. We know that they received many proposals and a competition is high (only 1 in 10 proposals might get money). Of course, you included in as a participant. Fritz is a coordinator from the INTAS countries. This year our laboratory received two small grants (approximately 8,000-10,000 USD per year) from the Russian Foundation of Basic Researches (RFBR) for the next three years: the first one for developing the Yamal supra-long chronology and the second one for developing tree-ring chronologies from living trees growing at the polar timberline in Siberia (together with Vaganov's laboratory). These money are very important for us as they will allow to maintain the staff of our laboratories. I and Valery Mazepa were in Krasnoyarsk during one month and together with E.Vaganov wrote the manuscript of book "Dendroclimatic Studies in the Ural-Siberian Subarctic". The problem now is to find money for its publication. If we find enough money soon (20 million roubles), the book will be published this autumn. We analysed 61 mean ring-width and 6 cell chronologies which we intend to publish in form of tables in the Appendix. We can send to you all raw measurements which were used for developing these chronologies. Of course, we are in need of additional money, especially for collecting wood samples at high latitudes and in remote regions. The cost of field works in these areas is increased many times during the last some years. That is why it is important for us to get money from additional sources, in particular from the ADVANCE and INTAS ones. Also, it is important for us if you can transfer the ADVANCE money on the personal accounts which we gave you earlier and the sum for one occasion transfer (for example, during one day) will not be more than 10,000 USD. Only in this case we can avoid big taxes and use money for our work as much as possible. Please, inform us what kind of documents and financial reports we must represent you and your administration for these money. I and Eugene have a possibility to participate in the Cambridge meeteng in July, but we need extra many and special invitations. If you do not have enough money to invite both of us, Eugene does not insist upon this visit. The best wishes to you and Phil. Yours sincerely Stepan Shiyatov

http://www.eastangliaemails.com/emails.php?eid=1&filename=.txt

I searched on the words "cash transfer Russia"

21
posted on 11/23/2009 2:39:48 PM PST
by grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)

Interesting. I have a bit on an in at a Wash DC libertarian think tank that has an active GW division that recently sued the Obama administration over GW docs. I’ll definitely pass this info along ... and update you with any response I get.

I'm not sure what to do with these insights from RightWingProfessor other than to ping Jim Robinson, some known attorneys on the forum and a few others.

IIRC, transferring money in increments of under $10,000 in order to avoid reporting it to the authorities is itself a big no-no (it sets off red flags as a money-laundering technique). Here the explicitly mention doing so to AVOID taxes. See the part bolded below.

Conspiracy to commit tax fraud? Wire fraud? I dunno, I'm a layman. That's why I want a real lawyer to look at it. Here is the text, and the website I got it from. :

Return to the index page | Later Emails From: "Tatiana M. Dedkova" To: K.Briffa@xxxxxxxxx.xxx Subject: schijatov Date: Thu, 7 Mar 96 09:41:07 +0500 Dear Keith, March 6, 1996 I and Eugene received your E-mail of 04.03.1996. This day I talked over the telephone with Eugene and he asked me to send an answer from both of us. Thank you for the information concerning proposals to the INCO/COPERNICUS. We agree with your strategy used and we hope that this proposal will not be rejected. The results of INTAS-RFBR proposal will be known at the beginning of May. We know that they received many proposals and a competition is high (only 1 in 10 proposals might get money). Of course, you included in as a participant. Fritz is a coordinator from the INTAS countries. This year our laboratory received two small grants (approximately 8,000-10,000 USD per year) from the Russian Foundation of Basic Researches (RFBR) for the next three years: the first one for developing the Yamal supra-long chronology and the second one for developing tree-ring chronologies from living trees growing at the polar timberline in Siberia (together with Vaganov's laboratory). These money are very important for us as they will allow to maintain the staff of our laboratories. I and Valery Mazepa were in Krasnoyarsk during one month and together with E.Vaganov wrote the manuscript of book "Dendroclimatic Studies in the Ural-Siberian Subarctic". The problem now is to find money for its publication. If we find enough money soon (20 million roubles), the book will be published this autumn. We analysed 61 mean ring-width and 6 cell chronologies which we intend to publish in form of tables in the Appendix. We can send to you all raw measurements which were used for developing these chronologies. Of course, we are in need of additional money, especially for collecting wood samples at high latitudes and in remote regions. The cost of field works in these areas is increased many times during the last some years. That is why it is important for us to get money from additional sources, in particular from the ADVANCE and INTAS ones. Also, it is important for us if you can transfer the ADVANCE money on the personal accounts which we gave you earlier and the sum for one occasion transfer (for example, during one day) will not be more than 10,000 USD. Only in this case we can avoid big taxes and use money for our work as much as possible. Please, inform us what kind of documents and financial reports we must represent you and your administration for these money. I and Eugene have a possibility to participate in the Cambridge meeteng in July, but we need extra many and special invitations. If you do not have enough money to invite both of us, Eugene does not insist upon this visit. The best wishes to you and Phil. Yours sincerely Stepan Shiyatov

http://www.eastangliaemails.com/emails.php?eid=1&filename=.txt I searched on the words "cash transfer Russia"

23
posted on 11/23/2009 2:53:36 PM PST
by grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)

Also, it is important for us if you can transfer the ADVANCE money on the personal accounts which we gave you earlier

These are apparently fake bank accounts used for the purpose of transfering money and hiding both it's origin and purpose.

and the sum for one occasion transfer (for example, during one day) will not be more than 10,000 USD.

Any transfer of money in excess of $10,000 in a 24 hour period must be reported to various agencies of the government. When you intentionally transfer more than $10,000 in increments smaller than $10,000 this shows an intention to bypass money laundering laws. This in and of itself is a federal crime called structuring.*

Only in this case we can avoid big taxes and use money for our work as much as possible.

Here their motive for laundering the money is clear. This appears to be a deliberate tax evasion scheme.

No person shall, for the purpose of evading the reporting requirements of section 5313 (a) or 5325 or any regulation prescribed under any such section, the reporting or record keeping requirements imposed by any order issued under section 5326, or the record keeping requirements imposed by any regulation prescribed under section 21 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act or section 123 of Public Law 91508 [...] (3) structure or assist in structuring, or attempt to structure or assist in structuring, any transaction with one or more domestic financial institutions.

Section 5324 further provides that a violation of this provision may be punished by a fine or up to five years in prison, or both.[4]

This is the site: http://www.eastangliaemails.com/emails.php?eid=27&filename=.txt

I typed in "Dedkova", did the search by hand; and then found this email, 866572566.txt.

So far I have not been able to find the email of June 5 referred to in this letter. In the context of the earlier email between these two about "increments under $10,000 n order to avoid reporting it to the authorities", it looks like it might have been interesting, eh?

I am not sure you received my message sent the last week fromMoscow. Therefore I decided to repeat it.Thank you for the message of 5 June,1997.I am anderstanding your difficulties with transfering money and Ithink the best way for us if you will bring money to Krasnoyarskand I give you a receipt.Rashit will go to Yamal at the end of June and I go to the PolarUrals at the beginning of July. We can find money temporary at ourInstitute and other sources for three months to fulfill our fieldworks.Now I am at two weeks holiday with my wife and grand-daughter near Moscowafter the meeting of Russian Academy of Sciences where E.Vaganov waselected as the Academician of RAS. It is important for dendrochronologicalstudies at our country and international collaboration.Sincerely yours Stepan Shiyatov

Incidentally, if you read the thread between these people, it appears that some of this work is connected to the controversial Yamal tree-rings, if I happen to be reading correctly. See for one example the letter 844968241.txt

Eugene I am told that the money transfer ( 5000 u.s. dollars) should have gone to the bank account you stated. Please let me know if this is received by you. I now also have the contract signed by INTAS and we must organise future work and I will talk to Fritz about us visiting Ekaterinburg next year. In the meantime I wish you and Stepan to organise major review papers of the Yamal and Taimyr long chronology staus for inclusion in the Holocene ADVANCE-10K Special Issue. These need to be completed by June at the latest . They will each be 10-12 pages of print. I can suggest content, do some analyses and help with editing these . I am also sending Stepan's 5000 dollars to Switzerland now to be carried back by his colleague. I have yet to sort out how claims on the INTAS money will be handled. Have you received the details of the final contract? best wishes Keith

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